


Keep Talking

by amaronith



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, Minor Beauregard/Jester Lavorre
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 13:42:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20228794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaronith/pseuds/amaronith
Summary: Wasn't it funny that first Jester and then Beau had come to talk to him about having feelings for the other? Why him, of all people? Why not Caduceus, who could read people like a book better than Fjord ever could?But they had trusted him and he had done his best to do right by them.He supposed this is what friendship was.





	Keep Talking

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Just Communication](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20011756) by [amaronith](https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaronith/pseuds/amaronith). 

> I said I was gonna write a sequel to "Just Communication" that was a follow up with Fjord and Caleb, and then I did! While it might not be super nessicary to read that fic to understand this one entirely, it is still a good idea to.

Fjord sighed as Beau walked away, and drained his tankard of ale before leaving a few gold on the table for the waitress and going to find Caleb.

Wasn't it funny that first Jester and then Beau had come to talk to him about having feelings for the other? Why him, of all people? Why not Caduceus, who could read people like a book better than Fjord ever could? 

But they had trusted him and he had done his best to do right by them.

He supposed this is what friendship was.

(Which was a foolish thought, to be sure - he had known what it was to be friends with Jester, with Beau. This should not have been a surprise.

And yet.)

Caleb looked… comfortable, Fjord wanted to say, sitting in the plush armchair with a book in his lap and Frumpkin purring away under his hand as Caleb stroked his fingers through his familiar's fur absently.

(Fjord often wondered how many times he had told himself he wasn't jealous of the wizard's familiar, how many times he had wondered at how many times, and how many times he told himself it would have to be one more time because ruminating on it only caused misery.)

He knew how he'd do this if he was still pretending to be Vandren.

But how would _Fjord_ do this?

Fjord cleared his throat gently. "Ah, is it any good?"

Caleb looked up at the sound of Fjord's voice and smiled at him - something that, no matter how many times it happened, made Fjord feel he'd been horse-kicked in the chest. "Ah, good evening, Fjord. Come, sit with me."

Fjord smiled back, feeling shy and awkward as he sat in the chair next to Caleb's. "I didn't mean to take you from your reading…"

"Think nothing of it - I have read it before." Caleb tilted his head, smiling. "But you and I have not had the opportunity to speak much, with everything going on."

"Sorry-"

Caleb waved him off with a shake of his head. "Do not trouble yourself - you have had slightly more important things on your mind."

"I haven't," Fjord blurted. "Had more important things on my mind, I mean. I- gods, I'm really bollocksing this up, aren't I?"

Caleb was watching him, eyes narrowed like when he had a particularly snarly puzzle to solve. "I cannot say, I don't know what you are trying to do?"

Fjord shook his head. "I just - the situations I manage to get myself into without meaning to."

"Would you like to talk about it, perhaps I can help?"

That would make Fjord's job much easier. "I would appreciate it, Caleb."

"Well then," Caleb shifted, turning in the chair to better face Fjord and Frumpkin let out a cranky noise at being dislodged from his place, getting up into a stretch before walking across to lay down in Fjord's lap and Fjord quietly thanked Calianna for her gift. "Talk to me, and let us see if we can sort you out a bit."

Fjord nodded, scritching gently along Frumpkin's spine with his claws. "Jester and I talked - friendship check-in, she called it. Clarified some things… like how she is no longer attracted to me, but is attracted to Beau and 'really likes her,'" Fjord mimicked Jester's accent, and Caleb smiled. "And she asked for my advice, so I made a deal with her that if she told Beau about her feelings, I'd do something that scares me."

"I imagine you will have very little trouble doing it - you are very brave, Fjord."

"I did just say that I was scared to do it, Caleb."

"You think bravery is not being afraid ever?" Caleb reached out his hand and Fjord took it, something that was becoming an automatic call and response reaction between them. "True courage is being afraid and doing something anyway - you do that all the time, Fjord."

Fjord flushed. "...thank you, Caleb."

Caleb smiled at him, and Fjord felt himself smile helplessly back. "Please, Fjord, continue."

Caleb hadn't let go of Fjord's hand.

"Ah, yes, so Jester and I spoke, and made our deal, and I suppose Beau caught the end of it where Jester hugged me before going upstairs. She came over and congratulated me, at first, on Jester and I getting together. I told her the truth, in a fashion - that Jester and I had cleared the air between us, so to speak, and decided it was best if we remain just friends. And then Beau told me about how _she_ has a crush on Jester, and asked for my advice. So I made the same deal with her: tell Jester how she feels and I'll do the same."

Caleb tilted his head. "The same?"

Fjord took a slow, deep breath. "Tell someone whom I respect and admire about my feelings for them. Run the risk of ruining one of the best friendships I've ever had in my life at the chance for something… not _more_, per se, but different. In addition?"

Caleb's eyes went wide. "Fjord?"

"I'm sorry, I tend to babble when I'm scared."

Caleb gripped his hand tighter. "It is all right, Fjord."

Fjord took a deep breath. "I think you may have figured it out already, Caleb. You are not a stupid man."

"Maybe I just want to hear you say it yourself," Caleb murmured, stroking his thumb along Fjord's scar.

"...I'm in love with you, Caleb. I have been for a very, very long time, it feels like. Since the Iron Shepherds, at least, maybe."

Fjord couldn't bring himself to look at Caleb. To see what was no doubt pity on his face.

He wasn't expecting to feel lips on his palm, right over the scar of the blood pact. "Look at me."

Like a magnet, Fjord lifted his eyes to meet Caleb's, his breath catching in his lungs as he met the wizard's heated gaze. "Caleb…?"

"You are the most amazing fellow I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, Fjord," Caleb murmured against his palm, and Fjord wanted to close his hand, trap the feeling there in his palm and never share it with anyone because it was his and his alone, but Caleb still had Fjord's hand in his, his lips against Fjord's palm, his eyes locked on Fjord's.

It felt indecent to be doing in the middle of the sitting room of an inn.

"I have to say the same of you, Caleb…"

Caleb pressed another kiss to Fjord's palm, burning hot and leaving Fjord squirming. "I am unworthy of your affections, but if you want me, if you would have me, I am yours."

Fjord whimpered. "_Caleb…_"

"You must understand, Fjord - I am in love with you, too. And you think so highly of me, I wish to be _worthy_ of that regard."

_"She makes me wanna be better than I am."_

"You are," Fjord whispered. "Caleb, you are more than worthy."

Caleb leaned in, then paused, his eye apparently catching something in the corner of the room. "Come upstairs with me, Fjord?"

"Of course. Anywhere you wish to go, Caleb."

Caleb never let go of his hand as he got to his feet and Frumpkin climbed up to drape across Fjord's shoulders, nor when he lead Fjord out of the sitting room and up the stairs.

Caleb didn't let go of Fjord as he pressed him into his bed, kissing him hungrily and swallowing Fjord's every whimper and cry.

And when they fell asleep together, their hands were still clasped tight.

\---

Morning came all too soon for Fjord, and though he woke up alone, Caleb's spot on the bed was warm, and Frumpkin was curled up against Fjord's side.

He gave the familiar a skritch before getting dressed and making his way downstairs for breakfast, seating himself next to Caleb, and across from Jester and Beau.

"Good morning, everyone."

Jester grinned and waggles her eyebrows. "Good morning, Fjoooord~"

"Jester, Beau."

The matching grins he got from the ladies made his ears go warm. 

Caleb smiled at him, and laced their fingers together to the clear delight of Beau and Jester. "Good morning, Fjord."

He kissed him, and Fjord sighed into it.

"You two are so _cute_, Caleb!"

Caleb smiled, sheepish. "Yes, well, you two seem happy as well."

"Because I have a super cute girlfriend, _Cay-leb_," Jester said, picking apart her pastry as Beau flushed bright red beside her. "What is there to not be happy about?"

Caleb turned to smile at Fjord again. "Nothing at all, Jester."

Nothing at all, indeed.


End file.
